Mutual aid by firefighting agencies can be tough call

Forty-four city firefighters in all have been sent to battle fires in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties. No more will be sent.

"We have sent what we can reasonably be expected to send and maintain what we need to here,” Carle said.

When an agency sends mutual aid, it's reimbursed for its costs. In the largest fires, the governor declares a state of emergency, and the state pays. Sometimes, the president declares a state of emergency to make federal funds available.

The California Emergency Management Agency couldn't provide the number or cost of mutual-aid requests made annually around the state, but firefighters say that the help can't be measured only in money.

“This is very valuable, not only in the mutual-aid aspect,” said Battalion Chief Wadell Kanseah of the Sycuan Fire Department. “We take care of each other.”